I would like to start this post with a thank you to Pete Seeger. I don't know that his influence on America and the world can be so easily felt now as it had in earlier years, but I shudder to contemplate a world that didn't have a Pete Seeger in it.
I'll be 45 this year, a good 15 years more than I expected out of life, and, the body often feels much older. The knees and back don't like it when I ask them to work anymore - as if any of us have the choice. And, then I come to the troubling realization that I am looking forward to old age so that I can stop working.
I've struggled a bit this year. I've mentioned before that I am staying level on my finances, not going in to debt but surely not climbing the financial ladder. Realistically, all I want to do is be constructive and work at a job that pays my needs and gives me enough extra that I could afford to do those things called living rather than just work. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the jobs I do have, I'd just like to not live with the threat of poverty.
And, so perhaps as I listen to this old man who has been everywhere and done so very much sing at the end of his life to stay forever young, that I am just a bit more encouraged. This world seems to be geared towards making old men of us, those lucky enough to make it so far. The young man charges the windmills of injustice, prejudice, poverty and hopelessness. The old man is caught in fear of bills and consequences of failure to meet those obligations. And, lately, it seems that is all I can think about - but somewhere past those grey hairs perhaps yet resides a bit of the young man who worries not about caring for his elderly parents, his mortgage, his heat and his taxes that just seem to keep going up for no apparent reason. Maybe.
May you be forever young. Thank you, Pete.
5 comments:
Great post, Randy. I identify with everything you say. And I love Pete Seeger. Pete, Woodie, Arlo, they all helped to shape generations, and their music will live on forever, I am sure.
Peace <3
Jay
Hi Jay;
I'm glad you like the post. You know, I post things that are important to me and not what I think others will like, but, it's nice to find that something I see as important, relevant, etc., meets someone else similarly.
I wish I knew how it is that so many who grew up in the very midst of these songs seem to have learned nothing from them????
hugs!
randy
Hello Randy, Ron says to tell you that you are still young, he is almost 60....and I am 51 this year !!
I was not thought to live into my thirty's, so being 51 is actually exciting to me. I love living, strangely, and get excited about continuing that trend.
This year has been the first year my brown hair has really started to show silver and lightening. It is because of the stress my body is under, but I can accept it for the joy of keeping going. Ron wants to dye my hair and James our very young son dyes his, but for me it seems a lot of work for just a color.
I first got gray in my chin part of my beard back in 2004 or 2005, so Ron made me shave it off, saying he was not going to have an old gray lover...then his own hair went very gray and that was a mute point. I do look a lot older with a beard, but what amazed me was how different people treat others with a beard compared to a clean shaved face. Weird.
Glad your doing OK, I do worry about you sometimes. Many hugs
Hi Scottie;
Some days that 45 feels a lot closer to 60! But, you are right.. life is wonderful, and one of the by-products of living is gray hair. It's sort of that little badge of success, I guess. I wouldn't say it is necessarily a mark of wisdom, especially in my case, but definitely a mark of "survived the stupid stuff". Hopefully, that brings it's own wisdom??
hugs
randy
Hallo Randy, Scottie,Jay,
I have a beard for over 40 years - since the time of the '68 student revolts. At that time I had totally black hair. Today there are only gray hair. But my appearance was always indifferent to me - I have no reference to hair coloring, manicures, pedicures, make up, tattoos, jewelry, piercing.
I stand by my actual appearance.
I will not let dictate any self-proclaimed gurus me how I should look.
There are more important things than the look.
Grüße Euch alle
Nikki
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